Vietnam brings home remains of war dead from Laos, Cambodia
Vietnam has repatriated the remains of nearly 16,000 volunteer soldiers and experts who lost their lives during fighting in Laos, and 14,500 from Cambodia.
It is estimated that the remains of over 200,000 have yet to be found.
Repatriation of remains from Laos began in 1994, and from Cambodia in 2001.
The statistics were released at a teleconference in Hanoi on Sunday to disseminate the Politburo’s instructions, and the prime minister’s decisions and documents guiding the search and repatriation of the remains of martyrs until 2020 and beyond.
Addressing the event, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam, who is also head of the National Steering Board for the Search and Repatriation of Martyrs’ Remains, praised all involved for their efforts, stressing that the party and state always pay attention to this work. He also acknowledged the difficult task of searching for those still lost during past, drawn-out wars, and the inhospitable terrain in some areas.
Dam asked ministries, agencies and localities to raise public awareness about the guidelines and policies, while reviewing policies tailored to revolutionary heroes and their families.
Together with military forces, they were also asked to devise concrete and feasible plans based on their own situations. The Ministry of National Defence must launch a national archive of martyrs and their tombs, as soon as possible, it was stated.
The deputy prime minister also asked for the early establishment of steering boards at the municipal, provincial and military zone levels for better coordination.
